Printing machine



June 2, 193 E. 1.. MUELLER PRINTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Emil L. Mueller June 2, 1936. ELMUELLER zm ms PRINTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 1953 3 SheetsSheet 2 mun znA-l mm mun INVENTOR Emil L. Mueller ATTORN EY J1me E. L. MUELLER PRINTING MACHINE Filed July 28, 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 HHHIHHI Ill INVENTOR Emil LMueZZcr ATTORNEY Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to a printing machine of the general type disclosed in my pending application Serial No. 564,377, filed September 22nd, 1931, being in the nature of an improvement upon the structure shown in said pending application, and the machine eing adapted for the quick and convenient printing of relatively few copies from a given electro-type or the like, the electro-type being readily removed so that it may be replaced by another from which copies are desired.

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine which will be highly eificient, accurate and practical in the printing of copies from the type bed.

A further object is to so construct the machine that it will include parts conducive to the securing of great accuracy in the placement of printed impressions on paper sheets.

A more detailed object is to construct the sheet receiving and holding means on the printing roll employed so as to include parts to facilitate the accurate placement and retention of paper sheets on the printing roll.

A further detailed object is to provide a sheet stop directly on the printing roll disposed as a rest against which sheets may be placed in feeding the sheets to the roll, and to provide means to protect against injury of said stop during rotation of the printing roll.

A further detailed object is to provide a sheet gripper and to provide for movement of said gripper into sheet gripping position while the printing roll stands idle for receiving a sheet being fed to said gripper.

A further detailed object is to provide drive means for the printing roll including parts affording a period of lost motion as between the drive means and the printing roll, together with sheet gripper means connected to be operated during said period of lost motion.

A further detailed object is to provide a cam movable into and out of operative position with respect, to the sheet gripper and to provide lost motion driving connections for the printing roll operable tomove the cam from one position to another to thereby insure movement of the sheet gripper to sheet gripping position without accompanying movement of the printing roll.

A further object is to provide stop means for the printing roil mechanism of a character to permit variation in the precise point of stoppage of travel of the printing roll mechanism.

A further object is to provide means insuring that the printing roll will be held locked in impression position during travel of the printing roll mechanism over the printing type.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred. to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which I have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a printing machine constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, partly in vertical section, showing the construction and operation of the sheet gripper means in receiving and gripping a paper sheet from the paper sheet feeding table.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the structure appearing in Fig, 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the sheet stop device employed upon the printing roll, being on the plane of line V--V of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of operating the sheet gripper device in releasing a sheet, said figure containing also a diagrammatic view of wiring and switches which may be employed-and also the manner of looking the printing roll in impression position.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the lost-motion device employed, and

Fig. 9 is a similar sectional view illustrating the construction of slippage clutch employed.

Referring now to the drawings forming part hereof for describing in detail the embodiment of the invention illustrated therein, the reference character L indicates a main frame preferably ineluding legs as l--l by which the main bed or table portion 2 is elevated at a suitable height from the floor.

The bed 2 is of a general rectangular shape and has opposite rack bars as 3-3 extending along its longitudinal margins.

The reference character G indicates generally the printing roll mechanism.

The reference character H indicates a suitable inking roller mechanism which is movable along the bed, being connected with the printing roll mechanism substantially as heretofore.

The reference character A indicates generally the paper sheet feed table. This is arranged in a stationary position at one end of the table 2 substantially as illustrated, being carried upon one or more standards as 4 which rise from the table 2 and which carry at their upper ends a vertically adjustable inclined table plate 5 upon which may rest a pile of paper sheets 6 in the usual way.

The plate 5 has its inclined portion as 1 disposed so that the sheets may be moved by hand downwardly therealong, as indicated at 8, Fig. 3, and into engagement with the printing roll one after the other as will be presently described.

The printing roll mechanism G and the inking roller mechanism H are mounted to travel back and forth along the length of the table, the printing roll mechanism having carrying rollers or wheels as 9-9 at its opposite sides for travelling upon tracks l0 which are provided at the opposite sides of the table 2 to receive them, and the inking roller mechanism having similar rollers or wheels as II for likewise engaging the tracks in, all as heretofore.

The mechanisms G and H are formed preferably separate from each other so that they may be capable of movement back and forth as independent elements whenever desired. A latch as l2 may be employed for detachably connecting the mechanisms G and H as heretofore.

The printing roll mechanism G includes the opposite side frame members I 3-! 3 suitably connected and carrying a reversible electric motor [4 as heretofore.

Upon the shaft l5 of the motor is carried a slippage clutch mechanism including a disc 16 fixed rigidly to said shaft, a sprocket wheel I? freely rotatable upon the shaft and having opposite friction disc portions lB-IS fixed thereto also freely rotatable upon the shaft, a friction disc I 9 longitudinally movable along the shaft but held against rotation as by a feather and slot connection indicated at 20, and a compression spring 2| bearing at its outer end against a nut secured on the shaft and having its inner end pressing against the disc l9 and thereby frictionally clamping the sprocket wheel and disc portions |8-|8 between said disc l9 and the disc IS with sufficient frictional grip to insure rotation of the sprocket l1 normally with the shaft I5 but permitting slippage as between the sprocket and said shaft whenever such slippage is desirable as for instance when for any reason rotation of the sprocket is suddenly arrested.

From the sprocket IT a sprocket chain 22 extends about a second sprocket 23 which is carried by a short shaft 24.

The shaft 24 has a pinion 25 thereon meshing with a gear 26 fixed to a cross shaft 21.

The sprocket 23 is connected with the pinion 25 by means of a lost motion device which consists of a. disc 28 fixed to the pinion 25, said disc and pinion being freely rotatable as one unit upon the shaft 24. The disc 28 is formed with an arcuate slot 29 therein within which engages a pin 30 fixed rigidly with the sprocket 23, the arrangement thereby providing that upon any reversal of direction of rotation of the sprocket 23, and hence of travel of the pin 30, such reversal will not be transmitted to the pinion 25 and shaft 21 until the sprocket 23 has first rotated sufficiently to carry the pin 39 to the opposite end of the slot 29.. In the instance illustrated the slot 29 is shown of such arcuate length as to permit substantially a one-third rotation of the sprocket 23 before motion is imparted to the pinion 25 and shaft 21.

Fixed to the sprocket 23 so as to at all times rotate as one therewith is a pinion 3| in constant mesh with a gear 32 on a stud shaft 33. Fixed to move with the gear 32 is a cam 34 against which bears the lower end of a crank leverv 35, there being a suitable anti-friction roller as 36 provided upon the lever for engaging the cam.

The lever 35 is pivotally mounted as at 31 upon the adjacent frame piece 13 and at its upper end has fixed thereto a link as 38 connected as at 39 for sliding a slidably mounted cam as 40, the purpose of which will be presently fully set forth. A tension spring as 4| is arranged for urging the lever 35 against the cam 34 and for incidentally urging the cam 40 toward what may be referred to as its inoperative position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The shaft 2! extends entirely across the machine, being mounted in the opposite side frames l3|3, and fixed to said shaft spaced apart thereon are two gear wheels as 42 and 43 the teeth of which intermesh constantly with the teeth of the rack bars 3-3 respectively so that rotation of the gears 42 and 43 will cause the printing roll mechanism to move bodily along the length of the rack bars from adjacent one end of the table to adjacent the opposite end, in either direction according to the direction of rotation of the motor sprocket l1.

As an example of means for reversing the direction of rotation of the motor sprocket l! the drawing herewith, Fig. 7, illustrates diagrammatically suitable reversing switches as 44, 45 and 46 arranged in the motor circuit represented by wires 4? and 48 which extend from mains 49 and 50.

The switches 44 and 45 may be mounted upon the frame of the machine adjacent opposite ends respectively and may have their control arms as 5! and 52 standing in the path of operating members 53 and 54 carried by the printing roll mechanism G so that one of said switches will be thrown to reverse the motor each time the printing roll mechanism reaches an end of the table.

The switch 45 may be mounted at a convenient location for momentary control by an operator at any time.

A circuit breaking switch as 55 may be provided in the circuit, also at a convenient location for instant control by the operator whenever occasion requires.

It will be seen that the switch devices and wiring illustrated are such that as the printing mechanism reaches the paper sheet feed table A and operates the switch 45 the motor will be thereby reversed and will, after first moving the pin 30 to the opposite end of slot 29, begin to propel the printing mechanism away from the table A. Also that as the printing mechanism reaches the opposite end of the machine and operates the switch 44 the motor will be thereby again reversed and will, after first moving the pin 30 backward to the first end of the slot 29, begin to propel the printing mechanism again toward the table A, this operation continuing as often as desired by the operator and being subject to discontinuance by operation of switch 55 which the operator is at liberty to employ for breaking the circuit at any moment or as often as he chooses.

Because of the lost motion mechanism including pin 38 and slot 29 the shaft 21 and gears 42 and 43 will stand motionless, and the printing roll mechanism will remain at rest, after reaching its appointed position beneath the paper sheet. feed table A, for an appreciable period before beginning return travel toward the opposite end of. the bed.

Of course the same period of rest of the printing roll mechanism will occur at the opposite end of the bed but this is relatively immaterial.

A suitable electro-type or the like as 56 may be mounted upon the surface of the bed 2, being held by appropriate means such for instance as the clamp parts '5 and 58 as more fully set forth in the mentioned co -pending application.

The printing roll comprised in the printing roll mechanism is indicated generally by the reference character as and is provided with end gears 66 and Bi which mesh with the rack bars 3 so as toinsure rotation of the printing roll in opposite directions as said roll moves back and forth along the bed in the usual manner.

A set of gripper fingers as 62 is carried by the printing roll, being mounted spaced apart along the length of a rock shaft 63 which is arranged within a suitable cavity 84 of the roll in the usual manner. The opposite ends of the shaft 63 are rotatably received in bearings provided through the opposite end walls 65 and 56 of the printing roll.

At one of its ends the shaft 53 projects beyond the end wall 65 and carries a laterally extending arm 87 fitted with an anti-friction roller 68 for engaging the cam 48 heretofore mentioned. A

' spring device 69 is connected with the arm 81 operating to always urge the shaft in a direction. to hold the gripper fingers normally in gripping position against the outer edge surface If! of a clamp bar I I carried by the printing roll.

The timed relationship of the mechanism 3fi 39 heretofore mentioned, for operating the cam 48, to the rotative position of the printing roll on the rack bars 33, is such that as the printing roll approaches the paper sheet feed table A the cam 48 will at that time have been moved by the cam 34 to the position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 3 so that just as the printing roll moves through its last fraction of rotation before coming to rest beneath the table A the anti-friction roller 88 connected with the gripper fingers will strike the under surface 12 of the cam 48 and ride along the surface 13 ofsaid cam 48 and come to rest with the gripper fingers held open, all as substantially shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the motor [4 having been stopped by engagement of the operating member 54 with the switch control arm 52.

It is intended that in the period while the printing roll stands at rest beneath the table A, with the gripper fingers open, the operator shall slide a sheet of paper, as shown as 8 in Fig. 3, down wardly along the surface I of table A and into position for being gripped by the gripper fingers on the printing roll, and that the gripper fingers shall actually grip and hold said sheet in fixed relation to the printing roll before said roll shall begin its return travel for printing the sheet.

To this end it will be noted that reversal of the motor it, following the movement of switch arm 52 and rotating the sprocket 23 without accompanying movement of shaft 21 until the pin 38 reaches the opposite end wall of the slot 28, but with the gear 32 and cam 34 meanwhile rotating, will cause the cam 34, in this interim, to rotate sufficiently to, first, provide a movement of its substantially concentric surface portion 14 with respect to roller 38 to hold the cam 48 motionless and the gripper fingers open while the sheet 8 is being introduced, and, second, to thereafter permit roller 36, under the strain of spring 4| to travel along the cam surface portion 15 so that the cam 48 will be slid away from the roller 68 of the gripper fingers thereby allowing the gripper fingers, without rotation of the printing roll, to be moved into gripping engagement with the sheet under the impulse of spring 69.

The cam 34 is so positioned and designed with respect to the slot and pin lost-motion connection that the'pin will engage the opposite end of the slot and thereby begin return rotation of the printing roll away from the table A just after the gripper fingers have come to rest in gripping contact against the paper sheet.

One or more stops 18 are carried by the printing roll 59 in position to receive the lower edge of the paper sheet 8 thereagainst. These stops constitute rests against which the lower edge of the sheet may be brought by the operator in sliding the sheet downwardly along the table A onto the printing roll, and they thus positively and accurately locate the sheet on the printing roll preparatory to gripping of the sheet by the gripper fingers.

These stops are mounted at spaced points along the length of the clamp bar H and, as shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6, they are pivotally connected with the clamp bar as by a pivot pin 1? which received within a slot 18 in such wise that although the outer ends of the stops normally project beyond the printing surface 19 of the printing roll yet they are yieldable substantially radially of the printing roll to avoid breakage or other undesirable results in the event that they should come into contact with any object resting on the surface of the bed 2 during the travel of the printing roll along said bed.

Light springs as 88-88 are carried by the clamp bar in engagement with the pivot rod 1! always urging the stops radially outwardly of the printing roll but permitting radial inward movement of said stops at any time.

A threaded stud 8! has a nut as 82 adjustable thereon in engagement with the stop for adjusting the position of the sheet stopping surface 33 of the stop in a direction circumferentially of the printing roll, a light compression spring 84 urging the stop about its pivot 11 in one direction and the nut 82 serving to adjustably move the stop against said spring circumferentially of the roli.

Adjacent each of the stops 18 is a sheet guiding arm 85 carried by and fixed to a cross bar 86 oscillatably mounted in the opposite side frame members l3-l3 of the printing roll mechanism. These guide arms are preferably received in upwardly facing notches 81 provided for the purpose at the upper ends of the stop members 16 and when resting in said notches they provide downwardly curving inclined surfaces 88 leading to the sheet stopping surfaces 83 along which the lower edge of the sheet 8 may be guided to said surfaces 83 in the period while the operator is sliding the sheet 8 to position against the stop surfaces 83.

'A laterally extending arm 89 is fixed to the cross bar 89 and has connected therewith a tension spring 98 constantly urging the arms 85 downwardly toward the surface of the printing roll.

A second laterally extending arm 9| is fixed to the cross bar 86 and carries an anti-friction roller 92 bearing constantly againstthe surface of the printing roll at one end of the roll as for instance against the outer peripheral surface of the end wall 60 of the printing roll. This peripheral surface portion of the printing roll is formed with a small cam groove 93 therein adapted to receive the anti-friction roller 92 as the printing roll rotates beneath said roller, said cam groove 93 being positioned at an appropriate radial location to permit and cause the guide arms 8585 to stand for an appropriate period in their lower positions within the notches 81 during the time while the printing roll stands motionless adjacent the table A for receiving a paper sheet from said table. The cam groove permits the arms to fall into the notches 81 as the printing roll approaches its position of rest beneath the table A, permits them tostand in guiding position within said notches during the entire period while the printing roll is motionless beneath said table A, and causes them to be lifted again out of the notches and free of the printing roll, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, as the roll begins to travel on its return toward the opposite end of the machine.

The clamp bar H is formed separate from the printing roll and is carried detachably by said roll. Its lower longitudinal edge portion is received within a groove 94 provided in the printing roll and its opposite end portions are received within approximately radially disposed grooves 95-95 formed in the inner surface of the opposite end walls 65, 66 of the printing roll, the clamp bar being thereby removable by being slid approximately radially out of the grooves 95--95 but being firmly supported as a part of the printing roll structure when in position within the grooves 94 and 95.

In order to insure against accidental outward sliding movement of the clamp bar suitable spring gripping devices as shown at 9B, in Fig. 4, may be arranged to be co-operative between the end walls 65 and G6 and the adjacent end portions of the clamp bar. In the instance illustrated the gripping devices 96 each consists of a ball 91 spring pressed into a shallow seat 98 in the end surface of the bar.

The purpose of making the clamp bar separate and detachable from the remainder of the printing roll is multifold, and among the different results obtained may be mentioned:

First, that it provides a convenient and practical carrier for the stop members 16 permitting their easy assembly in the structure, their convenient repair and removal whenever necessary, and the substitution of different clamp bars having differently positioned stops 16 thereon whenever occasion requires.

Second, that it provides an accurately placed metallic surface portion, as 10, with respect to the stopping surfaces 83 of the stop members 16, and with respect to which said stopping surfaces may be accurately adjusted as occasion demands, and.

Third, that it provides, by removal of the clamp bar, easy access to the retaining device as 99 by which one end portion of the paper band or pad member I is fixed to the printing roll, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

When a paper sheet from the table A has been set by the operator against the stops 16 and the gripper fingers have gripped upon the edge of said sheet, pin 30 having by this time travelled to the lower end of the slot 29, Fig. 1, then the return travel of the printing mechanism begins. The cam groove 93 lifts the arms 85 and the printing mechanism progresses on its way toward the opposite end of the machine carrying the paper sheet with it in such manner that the sheet will be applied against the electro-type 56 and be printed as will be readily understood.

As the printing mechanism approaches the end of the machine away from the table A, the paper sheet having been now printed and being ready for removal, the gripper fingers are moved open to release the sheet by mechanism such as that illustrated in Fig. 7 and more fully shown and described in said co-pending application, or by other means suitable to the purpose.

The mechanism illustrated in Fig. 7 consists of an arm IOI which is fixed to one end of the rock shaft 63 carrying the gripper fingers. The end of this arm carries an anti-friction roller I02 which rides against a cam strip I03 by which it is made to swing the gripper fingers open as the printing mechanism comes to rest so that the printed sheet stands free for removal by the operator. The cam strip I03 is moved into and out of its operative position by being connected with one arm as I04 of a bell crank lever the opposite arm as I05 of said lever being connected by a link I06 with the movable bearing member I01 of the printing roll, said bearing member I01 being connected as by a link I08 with one arm as I09 of a second bell crank lever the other arm as I ID of which is disposed for engaging an abutment III fixed upon the frame of the machine. The arrangement is such that, as the printing roll mechanism travels, the bell crank I09-I I0 will be swung to rotate the bearing member I01 and thereby'swing the bell crank I 04-I05 and lift the cam strip I03 so that a notch as II2 of said strip will move free of a pin II3 thereby forcing the cam strip to swing toward the pivotal axis of the printing roll and hence into operative position effective to produce a suflicient swinging movement of the arm IN to release the gripper fingers.

It will be understood that the switch operating member 53 will engage the control arm 5I at switch 44 to reverse or stop the motor I4 just prior to this moment.

The movable bearings I01 of the printing roll are for the purpose of lifting the printing roll out of impression position or for lowering it into impression position in the same manner as more fully illustrated and described in said co-pending application, the members I01 being rotatably mounted in the side frame members I3 I3 and carrying the pivot shaft, as I 14 of the printing roll eccentrically therein so that the printing roll will be elevated or lowered according to the rotative direction of movement of the members I 01.

With respect to the illustration Figs. 1 and '7 it is noted that a slight rotary movement of the member I01 in a contra-clockwise direction, such as is imparted thereto when the arm IIO strikes the abutment III, operates to lift the printing roll out of impression position so that thus the printing roll will have no contact with the electrotype 56 during the return travel of the printing roll mechanism to position beneath the paper sheet feed table A.

It is noted further that a slight rotary movement of the member I01 in a clock-wise direction, such as will be imparted to the member I01 when the arm IIO strikes the abutment as I I5 when the printing roll mechanism reaches its position beneath table A, will operate to lower the printing roll again to impression position so that now the printing roll will have a proper printing contact with the electro-type during travel of the printing roll mechanism away from the table A.

Experience has shown that it is desirable not only to insure great accuracy of placement of the printing roll when lowered to its operative or impression position but also to provide a positive locking means against any vertical displacement, however slight, of the printing roll during the printing operation.

To this end the present invention proposes that the link I08 and the bell crank arm I09 shall be so proportioned and disposed as to constitute a toggle capable of movement into and slightly beyond a dead center position, as clearly illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. '7, when the arm I I0 engages the abutment H5. A suitable stop H6 is provided upon the adjacent side frame member I3 to limit movement of the toggle in its dotted line or locked position and thus defines with great accuracy the rotative position of member I03, and hence the vertical position of the printing roll, following each engagement of the arm H0 with abutment II5. No ordinary amount of upward pressure against the printing roll, as during printing, being capable of disturbing the locked toggle.

This invention further provides means to insure a properly locking operation of the toggle I08-I09 incident to every visit of the printing roll mechanism to the table A and regardless of certain irregularities of position of the printing roll mechanism on different visits.

In the illustration herewith the abutment H5 is shown as being resilient. It consists of a striker plate I I! carried by one or more supporting rods H8 horizontally slidably mounted in a base member I19 and held yieldably away from the base member by a suitable spring or springs as I20.

Assuming the toggle I08-I09 to be in broken position as shown by full lines in Figs. 1 and '7 and the printing mechanism to be travelling toward the right Fig. 1: As soon as the anti-friction roller I2l at the lower end of the arm IIO strikes the plate II! the force of the blow, considered together with the amount of work Which must be performed in moving the toggle from its fully broken position against a stop I22 to near its dead center position, will cause the spring or springs I20 to yield until either the striker plate engages the opposing surface of the base member H9 or the power of the spring I20 becomes sufiiciently great to initially move the toggle out of its broken position. Continued movement of the printing roll mechanism will cause the toggle to move to, or near to, a dead center position, and it is intended that the power of spring I20 will at this moment operate to move the toggle, through and beyond its dead center position to its locked position against the stop H6.

Owing to the fact that the stoppage of travel of the printing roll mechanism is due primarily to the shutting off, or reversal, of the motor I4, the precise point along the length of the bed 2 at which the printing roll mechanism will actually come to rest beneath the table A will vary Within appreciable limits in different visits, this due to numerous causes as for instance differences in the power of the motor current at different moments, and the differences in the amount of friction encountered from time to time in the travel of the printing roll mechanism.

The operation of the spring I20 in moving the toggle through dead center position as above described will be performed with equal efficiency irrespective of the precise position at which the printing roll mechanism comes to rest beneath table A.

If the printing roll mechanism moves relatively far beneath the table 5, the springs I20 will move the toggle through dead center a little early and the then distended springs I20 will be in condition to permit return of the striker plate II'I toward the base member enough to permit the required further travel of the printing roll mechanism before the point of rest is reached.

While if the printing roll mechanism moves relatively less far beneath the table, the springs I20 will move the toggle through dead center at a moment nearer to the actual moment when the printing roll mechanism comes to rest, the springs I20 operating to snap the toggle through dead center but there being little or no continued travel of the printing roll mechanism to thereafter; move the striker plate toward the base member I9.

The entire mechanism as herein shown and described is of a highly precise and accurate operation thoroughly efficient for performing its various functions and for enabling the accurate registry of paper sheets on the printing roll so that printed characters requiring to register with each other in subsequent printing operations on a given paper sheet may be made to register with perfect accuracy and Without any great amount of adjustment or care by the operator. The operator is required simply to place one edge of his paper sheet against the adjustable guide stop I23 on the table A and slide it downwardly against the stop surface 83 of stop IE on the printing roll, and leave the rest to the machine.

The guide stop I23 is adjustable in a direction transversely of the printing table and it may be mounted in any approved way as for instance by having a slot as I24 therein through which a pair of adjustable clamping screws as I25 extend into engagement with any selected pair of a row of threaded apertures I26 provided in the plate or table portion 5.

Mounted upon a suitable cross rod I21 carried by the table 5 is provided one or more'retaining devices as I28-I28 in the form of brushes the bristles of which are adapted to rest lightly upon the upper surface of the paper sheet for holding the sheet against accidental retrogressive movement at all times.

Upon a second cross rod as I29 carried by the table 5 is a pointer I35) freely adjustable transversely of the machine, the rod I29 having scale indications thereon as at I3I from which may be read the position of the pointer lengthwise of the rod.

Upon the upper surface of the bed 2 there is provided similar scale indications as at I32.

The operator may utilize the pointer I30 and the scales I 3i and I32 to facilitate the proper placement of the paper sheet 8 on table A with respect to the electro-type 56. By setting the pointer I30 for instance at a point on scale I3| corresponding with the reading on scale I32 marking the edge of a paper sheet properly laid upon the electro-type 56 and then adjusting the guide stop I23 at a location to properly guide the sheet, as indicated in Fig. 2, the sheet will be thereby guided onto the printing roll at a proper location lengthwise of the printing roll to suit the position of the electro-type. When not in use the pointer I30 may be slid to an out-of-the-way position at either end of its supporting rod I29.

Adjustment of the exact position of the cam 40 with respect to the lever 35 may be provided for in any desired manner but in the instance illustrated it is suggested that the upper end portion of the lever 35 may have a separate extension part as I33 adjustably pivotally connected with the main portion of the lever by a clamp screw as I34 whereby the part I33 may be held substantially rigid in any desired rotative relationship upon the pivot formed by the clamp screw as will be readily understood.

The yieldable stop H5 not only serves to operate the toggle for locking the toggle as above described but constitutes also a stop means effective to define the point of stoppage of the printing roll mechanism adjacent the table A. Being yieldable, it will not always effect a stoppage of the printing roll mechanism at the same identical point at each visit of the printing roll mechanism, but will permit a variation of the point of stoppage, it being noted in this connection that when the power of springs comprised in the yieldable stop begins to be felt by the travelling printing roll mechanism then the slippage clutch on the motor shaft will become operative and will in some instances permit actual stoppage of the printing roll mechanism with the springs of the yieldable stop more or less distended, without necessity for complete stoppage of the motor, and in other instances the yieldable portion of the stop may be pressed firmly against the base of the stop at this time, according principally to the speed, or momentum, of movement of the printing roll mechanism at the moment when the motor is deprived of its propelling current.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing roll of a printing roll carriage mounted to travel back and forth between two positions along a suitable bed and having bed engaging means effective to cause rotation of said roll in opposite directions during the back and forth travel of said roll, a motor mounted on said carriage and driving connections between the motor and the roll and a reversing switch for the motor to cause the roll to travel back and forth along the bed, of means comprised in said driving connections providing a period of rest for said roll following the beginning of operation of the motor to move the roll in at least one direction along the bed.

2. In a printing machine, the combination with a printing roll of a printing roll carriage mounted to travel back and forth between two positions along a suitable bed and having bed en gaging means effective to cause rotation of said roll in opposite directions during the back and forth travel of said roll, a motor mounted on said carriage, and driving connections between the motor and the roll and a reversing switch for the motor to cause the roll to travel back and forth along the bed, of means comprised in said driving connections providing a period of rest for said roll following the beginning of operation of the motor to move the roll in at least one direction along the bed, and means associated with said connections and operable thereby to grip a paper sheet upon the roll during said period of rest.

3. In a printing machine, a printing roll, a carriage therefor, a sheet gripper finger carried by said roll, a motor mounted on said carriage, connections between the motor and the roll to cause rotation of the roll and progress of the carriage by operation of the motor, means comprised in said connections providing a period of rest for the roll, and means effective to operate the gripper finger by power of the motor during said period of rest.

4. In a printing machine, a table, a printing roll mechanism and a carriage therefor mounted to travel back and forth along said table, a motor mounted on said carriage and driving connections between said motor and roll including a lost motion connection to provide a period of dwell, a reversing switch for said motor, said printing roll mechanism including a movable sheet gripper, and means to operate said sheet gripper during said period of dwell.

5. In a printing machine, a table, a printing roll and a carriage therefor mounted to roll back and forth along said table, a motor mounted on said carriage and driving connections between said motor and roll including a lost motion connection to provide a period of dwell, a reversing switch for said motor, a sheet gripper carried by said roll, and means to operate said sheet gripper during said period of dwell.

6. In a printing machine, a table, a printing roll and a carriage therefor mounted to roll back and forth along said table, a motor mounted on said carriage and driving connections between said motor and roll including a lost motion connection to provide a period of dwell, a reversing switch for said motor, a sheet gripper carried by said roll, and means by which said motor is operable to operate said sheet gripper during said period of dwell.

7. In a printing machine, a table, a carriage mounted to travel back and forth along said table, a printing roll carried by said carriage, a motor mounted on said carriage, a sheet gripper carried by said roll, driving means for said carriage by said motor including a lost motion connection providing a period of dwell for said carriage, a reversing switch for said motor and means whereby to operate said sheet gripper by said driving means during said period of dwell.

8. In a printing machine, a table, a carriage mounted to travel back and forth along said table, a printing roll carried by said carriage, a motor mounted on said carriage, a sheet gripper carried by said roll, driving means for said carriage by said motor including a lost motion device providing a period of dwell for said carriage, a reversing switch for said motor and means whereby to operate said sheet gripper by said driving means incident to functioning of said lost motion device. 0

9. In a printing machine, a table, a carriage mounted to travel back and forth along said table, a printing roll carried by said carriage, a motor mounted on said carriage, a sheet gripper carried by said roll, driving means for said carriage by said motor, including a lost motion device providing a period of dwell for said carriage at one extreme of travel of said carriage,

a reversing switch for said motor and means 75 riage by said motor including a lost motion device providing a period of dwell for said carriage incident to the reversal of travel of the carriage, a reversing switch for said motor, and means whereby to operate said sheet gripper by said driving means incident to functioning of said 5 lost motion device during said period of dwell.

EMIL L. MUELLER. 

